ConflictBarometer_2016

THE AMERICAS
ment, 3,517 alleged members of criminal gangs were captured
or killed. On April 13, Defense Minister Luis Villegas
stated that no political deals would be offered to organized
crime groups.
Neo-paramilitary groups continued to target government
forces. For instance, on May 2, two Los Pelusos members
killed a patrol officer in Ábrego, Norte de Santander. From
November 17 to 21, Los Urabeños killed five policemen in
Antioquia and Bolívar departments in retaliation for the police
raid of the hideout of one of their leaders on November
12.
Throughout the year, neo-paramilitary groups threatened,
assassinated, and confined civilians. On March 31, Los
Urabeños declared a 24-hour ''armed strike” affecting six departments.
Public services and transport in 36 municipalities
were shut down, as were several airports in Urabá and
Bajo Cauca, Antioquia. In Antioquia and Chocó, grenade attacks
killed four policemen, one civilian, injured ten people,
and set eight vehicles on fire. Community leaders and human
rights defenders were targeted in particular. According to IN-
DEPAZ, neo-paramilitary groups killed at least 36 social leaders
throughout the year. By March 31, the UN Human Rights
Council had documented the murder of at least twelve human
rights defenders by neo-paramilitary groups. The Inter-
Church Justice and Peace Commission reported the assassination
of eight people between March 1 and 3 in Putumayo
department, where threatening pamphlets by Los Urabeños
and Águilas Negras had appeared.
In various parts of the country, people were displaced by
clashes between neo-paramilitary groups and government
forces as well as the presence of neo-paramilitary groups. For
instance, in January, 152 persons were displaced due to confrontations
between Los Urabeños and the military in Puerto
Libertador, Córdoba department. On November 16, fighting
between EPL and the military and EPL presence displaced 180
persons in San Calixto, Norte de Santander.
afo
province, DR, when they shot at a truck allegedly transporting
Haitians without valid documents into DR. On June 24,
a group of Haitians attacked and injured two Dominican soldiers
patrolling the border in Palo Blanco, Dajabón province,
DR. Dominican security forces arrested four of the Haitians
involved. In a similar incident on November 4, a group of
Haitians killed a soldier of the Dominican border patrol and
injured another in Montecristi. The following night, the Dominican
border guards arrested six Haitians suspected of being
involved the killing.
From March on, the two countries increased reconciliation
measures. Several bilateral meetings took place, including
talks between both ministers of foreign affairs on April 13 and
August 30. DR lifted its visa ban for Haitians at the beginning
of March and prolonged temporary resident permits of over
140,000 Haitians for one year on July 12 after Haitian authorities
had faced technical difficulties to issue the required documents
in time. On August 30, Haiti agreed to lift its ban on
23 Dominican goods imposed in 2015. A bilateral commission
was re-established in October to improve the economic
and diplomatic relations between the two countries. On December
7, the two countries signed a US-mediated agreement
in Laredo, Texas, US, to improve trade and infrastructure in the
border regions.
Hurricane Matthew hit the island on October 4 and left approx.
1,000 people dead in Haiti and four people dead in DR.
Although DR increased its border controls to prevent Haitians
from entering the country, it sent 500 trucks with humanitarian
goods to Haiti. Dominican military accompanying the
trucks spurred criticism in Haitian media. However, Haitian
Interim President Jocelerme Privert expressed his support for
the military presence in a press conference on October 15.
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ECUADOR (OPPOSITION)
Intensity: 3 | Change: | Start: 1980
DOMINICAN REPUBLIC – HAITI
Intensity: 3 | Change: | Start: 2009
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
opposition groups vs. government
system/ideology, resources
Conflict parties:
Conflict items:
Dominican Republic vs. Haiti
other
The conflict between the Dominican Republic (DR) and Haiti
over the issue of illegal immigration escalated to a violent crisis
when Haitian civilians attacked Dominican border patrols
and vice versa.
The Dominican government continued to deport alleged illegal
Haitian migrants. According to the International Organization
for Migration, at least 58,000 people were sent back between
2013 and November 2016. Another 91,000 returned
voluntarily. However, both countries resumed diplomatic relations
and cooperated in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew
in October.
Throughout the year, two persons died and four were injured
in encounters between Dominican border patrols and
Haitian civilians. On January 18, Dominican soldiers killed
one Haitian and injured another in Guayubín, Montecristi
115
The violent crisis concerning the orientation of the political
system and resources between various opposition groups
and the government continued.
While protests against planned reforms remained largely
non-violent, the number of clashes between security forces
and the indigenous Shuar community about mining activities
increased in the Morona Santiago province.
After the parliament, dominated by the ruling left-wing
Alianza PAÍS (AP) of President Rafael Correa, had approved
a labor reform on March 17, a series of protests started in
various cities. Thousands, mainly workers supported by students,
indigenous organizations as well as by the trade union
umbrella organization Unitary Worker's Front (FUT), protested
against the reform. Parts of the reform, such as the promotion
of youth labor, had raised concerns about a rise of unemployment.
During the protests, the demonstrators also called for
Correa's withdrawal.
In early April, the party Creating Opportunities (CREO) and
other right-wing opposition groups as well as former mili-